Bathing float with propelling appliance



`NOV. 4, 1947. P, E,.ME Y` ER v v 'ABATHING `FLOAT WITH PROPELLING APPLIANCE 2 sheets-sheet 1 Filed Nov. 9, 1944 INVEN TOR.

Nov. 4, 1947. P. E. MEYER BATH'ING FLOAT WITH PROPELLING APPLIANCE FilecNov.` .9', 1944 2 Shets-Sheet 2 Patented Nov. 4, 1947 BATHING FLOAT WITH PROPELLIN G APPLIANCE Paul E. Meyer, Hartford, Conn.

Application November 9, 1944, Serial No. 562,630

This invention relates to bathing or swimming appliances of the type supporting a bathing person on the water and permitting locomotion by means of a propulsion device actuated by said person.

Various types of surfboards and swimming ap of the customary type driven by rotary motion or car-like paddles reciprocated directly or indirectly by the person using the Surfboard.

The present invention has for its object a special type of bath iioat and swimming appliance which, although providing exercise of the desired character is primarily not constructed in such a way' that merely persons wanting exercise may use it. The combined bath float and swimming appliance is constructed in the first place for persons desirous of relaxing or for persons who are inexperienced or are temporarily invalids or are otherwise handicapped and which are, therefore, lying on the bathing float in an outstretched position either on their backs or prone.

A further object of the invention consists in providing propulsion apparatus of a special kind which are neither propellers nor oar-like reciprocated appliances and which are operable by the feet of the person lying on his back or prone on the bathing oat.

A further object of the invention resides in a simple and effective driving mechanism for the propelling paddles permitting high efficiency and relatively high speed of the float.

A still further object of the invention consists in means for folding and holding the propelling blades when not in use in a position in which they will not obstruct motion. Such folding occurs automatically when the propelling paddles reach a given position or are brought to this posi tion by the person using the oat.

Still further objects and many advantages connected with the specific construction will be apparent from the following description of one modification of the invention.

It is to be understood, however, that the fact that only one modification of the invention is illustrated and described does not exclude change in the construction and further modications which are well within the scope of the present invention and which merely represent further em- 2 bodiments of the constructive ideas herewith explained and pointed out in the annexed claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure l is a perspective view of the bathing float and swimming appliance according to the invention.

Figure 2 is a perspective View of the propelling means showing the two propelling paddles arranged at the stern of the iioat in different positions during propulsion.

Figure 3 is an enlarged perspective view of the rear part of a propelling paddle or blade and of the catch for holding and fixing the blade as soon as it has reached this position.

Figure 4 is a top View on the rear partof the float showing the frame members.

The combined bathing fioat and swimming appliance according to the invention consists of a frame conforming itself to the shape of the human body which is designated generally by the reference numeral I. This frame comprises a body portion 2 which may be supported by floats and which is equipped with a body rest 3. Said body rest may consist of a web of textile material suspended between the members 4 of the frame l.

As shown the upper part of the body may rest comfortably in a reclining position on the body rest 3 between the members 4.

The middle portion of the frame l consists of struts 5 extending rearwardly which are joined to the body portion 2 by means permitting longitudinal adjustment. These means, as shown, consist in slots 6 provided on the struts 5 near their ends and of screws l passing through the body portion 2 and through the slots 6. Winged nuts 8 permit to fix said screws and thereby the struts in any desired position within the slots E, thus allowing for adjustment of the struts and of the entire stern or tail end of the bathing float. The length of the float may thus be adjusted to the size ofthe person using it.

A board 9 arranged transversely and forming a foot rest may be fixed between the struts 5 but preferably this foot rest forms part of the tail or propulsion end of the bathing float as shown in Figure 2. This tail end is indicated generally by the reference numeral I0. It consists of two frame members Il, carrying a small auxiliary frame l2 which is xed to the struts 5 by means of screws I3. By providing a number of holes for these screws on the struts 5 the auxiliary frame may be fixed in a convenient position. These screws as well as the screws 'l permit folding or disassembling of the bathing float when not in use for purposes of transport.

In the modication shown in the drawings, the auxiliary frame I2 carries a foot rest 9 and it will be clear that a rough adjustment of the foot rest may be performed by use of the proper screw hole for the screw I3, while a more convenient adjustment may be carried out by means of the screws 1. It will also be noted that ample space is left between the body rest 3 and the foot rest 9.

The frame members as shown in Figure 4 are preferably outwardly inclined and arranged at an angle with respect to the axis of the float. They carry the propulsion apparatus which comprises a lever parallelogram consisting of the levers I4 and I5 which are pivotally secured to the frame members II at I6 and I'I and are engaged on each side of the frame. Said parallelogram levers are carrying, between them by means of pivoted joints 24, 25, the propulsion bars I8 on which the propulsion -paddles :or blades 2E! are pivotally suspended. Rear lever I5 is of a greater length than the other lever M .for a purpose to be described flater.

On 'the front end of the propulsion bars I3 pedals or treadles 2| are pivotally mounted fixed to said propulsion bars I8 by means of pivot bolts 22. They are provided Ywith straps 23 or other means for holding the foot securely thus permitting a pushing and a pulling action.

As shown in the `drawings yeach lever -Ili and I5 may consist of .a pair of levers enclosing and holding the frame members -II and the propulsion bars I8 between them. vThus eccentric action or side pressure is avoided.

The entire lever parallelogram of one side is under the Vaction of a coiled spring 33 attached to one of the levers (lever I5 in Figure 2) and to some part of the lframe IVI or a part connected therewith .such as the board 9. The spring will havea tendency to return the lever parallelogram to its position of rest -shown in Figure 1 of the drawings.

The propeller ,paddle or blade is provided with pivot plates 26 carrying the pivots 21 arranged slightly above the center line of the paddle and linking -it `with the propulsion bar I8 and one `of said plates `carries -somewhat Ybelow this line a lug 28 provided with an eye 29 -into which the end of a rod 30 is hooked. The rod is pivotally fastened to Ythe end of lever I5, which, as has been already mentioned, is of greater length lthan the other parallelogram lever III and part of which, therefore, projects downwardly beyond the pivot -carr-ying the propulsion lever.

This end carries a rotatable stud 3l provided with an eye through which the rod passes. A knob 32 screwed into the -end of the rod prevents detachment of thesame and serves as a stop. A second stop 42 is provided inthe middle of the rod 30. The rod 'may `consist of two parts, and the stop 42 may adopt the form of a nut into which the ends are screwed.

A catch 34 is mounted on the propulsion lever I8 and isprovided with a mouthpiece or with jaws 35 which are open to such an extent as to seize the edge of the propeller paddle or blade 20 when `the same is approaching the extreme or horizontal position and to hold it in this position.

The catch 34 is pivoted to a plate 36 fixed to the propulsion ba-r IB fby means of a pivotr3'l. A stop (not shown) Vis provided to hold it in its horizontal position. The edge of the propeller paddle .20 may be rounded or may be provided with a rounded rider as shown at 38 in Figure 3 and the catch 34 is slightly movable around its pivot and may be pressed upwardly by a spring (not shown) to facilitate catching of the paddle 29.

When the person using the bathing iioat actuates the pedals 2| the float is rapidly moved forward, the rod 3i) holding the propeller paddle in an approximately vertical position in which it will be most effective. When the pedal, however, is pushed backward toward an extreme position (shown in Figure 2, upper paddle) it will be turned -around and finally by means of the stud 3l pressing on stop l2 of the rod 35 it reaches a horizontal position in substantial parallelism to the frame members i I. In this position it is caught by the catch 34 and is held by the same. When the pressure on pedal 2l ceases, the spring 33 pulls the lever parallelogram inwardly with the paddle caught in the catch.

The paddle remains in this substantially horizontal position during part of the return stroke until the stud 3i strikes knob 32; this occurs some time after lever I5 has passed the middle position and the paddle is thereby disengaged from the catch and returns to its substantially vertical position.

Should the person using the float decide to keep a paddle in its horizontal position he has to keep his foot on the pedal to prevent the lever I5 from moving beyond the middle position.

The paddles are used for propelling and steering purposes, one paddle being moved while the other is at rest. The slightly inclined position of the frame` members with respect to the axis permits a greater eiectiveness of the paddles as a steering means.

The horizontal position is used to allow the loat to travel after an impulse. It is, therefore, merely necessary to work the paddles at great intervals, a fact which may be made use of either for the purpose of cruising with the oat without great exertion or for providing exercise for handi: capped persons.

It will be noted that the feet of the person using the oat may either be resting on the foot rest 9 or may engage the pedals and for this purpose the space between the struts remain free.

It will also be noted that the propulsion paddles are moved by means of a lever parallelogram so that the movement of the propulsion lever re mains parallel -to the frame and does not cause any inconvenience to the person lying in the body rest during propulsion.

It will further be noted that it is possible to fold the bathing iloat either around screw bolts I3 or around bolts 1, and the parts of the frame may also be separated for the purpose of vtransport and may be assembled very quickly by inexperienced persons.

The bathing float may, of course, be equipped with further appliances, for instance, with oars l0 if desired.

I claim:

1. A combined bathing iioat and swimming appliance of the character described comprising a frame divided into several parts, means for joining and adjusting said parts, one of said parts carrying a body rest, .propulsion paddles carried by one of the portions of the frame, a lever parallelogram for connecting each propulsion paddle with said frame, a `propulsion bar forming part of said lever parallelogram, said propulsion bar carrying on one end a pedal to be actuated by the user of the bathing float and carrying on the other end a propulsion paddle, a part of one of the levers projecting beyond the propulsion bar and a tilting rod pivotally connected with a propeller paddle and slidably held by the last-named lever.

2. A combined bathing oat and swimming appliance of the character described comprising a frame divided into several parts, means for joining and adjusting said parts, one of said parts carrying a body rest, propulsion paddles carried by one of the portions of the frame, a lever parallelogram for connecting each propulsion paddle with said frame, a propulsion bar forming part of said lever parallelogram, said propulsion bar carrying on one end a pedal to be actuated by the user cf the bathing float and carrying on the other end a propulsion paddle, a part of one of the levers projecting beyond the propulsion bar and a tilting rod pivotally connected with a propeller paddle and slidably held by the last-named lever, a catch on said propulsion rod for engaging and holding the propeller paddle Where it is brought into an extreme position.

3. A combined bathing float and swimming appliance of the character described, comprising an elongated frame having a plurality of opposed adjustable members, means including a pair of parallel levers pivotally connected to said members, a propulsion bar pivotally connected to each pair of levers at the lower ends thereof, and parallel with said frame, a pedal provided with a strap pivotally mounted at one end of each of said bars, and a, propulsion paddle mounted at the other end thereof.

4. A combined bathing float and swimming appliance as claimed in claim 3 in which the frame members to which the pair of parallel levers are attached are outwardly inclined with respect to each other and to the other frame members, the propulsion bars and paddles thus moving in planes inclined with respect to the plane of symmetry of the iloat.

5. A bathing appliance of the character described as specified in claim 3, in which a spring is attached to one of the levers of the pair of parallel levers and is anchored on said frame in order to return the pedal, propulsion bar and paddle into its end position in which the propulsion stroke starts.

PAUL E. MEYER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number' Name Date 1,288,689 Samphere Dec. 24, 1918 1,655,472 Mattinen Jan. 10, 1928 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 215,340 Germany Oct. 25, 1909 642,378 France May 5, 1928 

